The present invention relates to an automation system and a method for clock time, process, and/or machine optimization.
A known problem associated with the design and start-up of automation systems is adhering to and/or optimizing the total clock time, with consideration for the clock times of individual processes in the various subsystems, such as Statistical Process Control (SPC), Numerical Control (NC), the drive, etc. Automation systems of this type typically generate data in different time domains and/or in various subsystems. The object is to optimize automation systems of this type by reducing the clock times; the overall process and subprocesses are included in this case.
Optimizations can also be realized in process and machine analysis. Since a block may refer to the process signals, e.g., the motor current, the tool should also support the user in terms of process optimizations, e.g., start of cut (by providing a safeguard against a rapid lurch by the tool, from the point of initial contact until full force has developed). The act of “machine optimization” starts at the point when the process can no longer be adequately controlled. If machine stiffness is not adequately ensured, e.g., for the work to be performed, or if impermissible fluctuations occur in various signals, e.g., the motor current, axle speed or positions, then design-related measures are often required, even if repeatedly optimizing the process parameters does not result in improvement.
Currently, the various subsystems of typical automation systems, e.g., SPC, NC or the drives, have their own specially-assigned analytical tools. However, there is no tool for computerized numerical control (CNC) that collects and/or displays data in a clock-synchronous manner in the various time domains. Nor are there any known tools that display the clock times at a higher level, or that provide—as needed—special data on the subsystems (e.g., the drive-side motor current or the state of an SPC flag), and/or a synchronous graphical simulation.
Conventional analytical tools are tailored to the special requirements of a system or individual subsystems, which makes a more general application—e.g., optimization of total clock time—difficult. For example, the oscilloscope function of a drive only considers the data on the drive, and it only offers special depictions of the data in this context. The data recorded there are stored with the times available there. These clocks are typically not synchronized with the clocks of other subsystems. The data are not actively related to the clock times of further subsystems or the higher-order, overall process, which is specified by the NC program.
Clock time-analysis tools are also known, with which data are collected on a programmable controller (PC) via a particular controller interface. The relevant data (e.g., current NC block or motor current) that are changed or downloaded from the controller in a cyclical manner are provided with a time stamp by the PC. However, data are not collected in a clock-synchronous manner, in the particular time domains of the automation system, across the individual subsystems, e.g., hardware and software, or, particularly, in different time domains, e.g., at the level of block preparation and processing, as is the case with NC. Due to procedures of this type, time fluctuations of up to one second are unavoidable in typical applications. Furthermore, brief processes that last less than one second cannot be reliably registered.